Off-Grid Forest Cottage by the Lake – 1-Bed Second Home in Simrishamn, Sweden



Del Av Nyckelby 6:9, Borlänge, Borlänge kommun, Sweden, Simrishamn (Sweden)
1 Bedrooms · 0 Bathrooms · 33m² Floor area
€39,350
Country home
No parking
1 Bedrooms
0 Bathrooms
33m²
Garden
No pool
Not furnished
Description
The first thing you notice is the silence. Not the uncomfortable kind — the deep, full kind, broken only by the lap of water against the shore and the occasional knock of a woodpecker somewhere back in the pines. You step out of the car, the smell of spruce and lake water hits you all at once, and within about thirty seconds, your shoulders drop two inches. That's what this place does to you.
This 33-square-meter lakeside cottage in the Simrishamn area of Sweden is about as honest a property as you'll find on the market right now. No electricity. No running water. No sewage system. And for the right buyer — someone who actually wants to unplug rather than just talk about it — those aren't drawbacks. They're the entire point.
Inside, the cottage is built the way Swedish summer houses have been built for generations: wood-paneled walls and ceilings that glow amber in the afternoon light, large windows that put the lake and forest directly in your sightline whether you're eating breakfast or just sitting still. The kitchen is stripped back to what you actually need — gas stove, wood-burning stove, work surfaces, storage. Meals here tend to be simple: perch caught that morning, potatoes from a local farm, coffee brewed slowly while the morning mist burns off the water. The living room doubles as a social space and an extra sleeping area, with a built-in open fireplace that makes the cooler evenings in September feel genuinely cozy rather than something to endure. A separate room holds a bunk bed — practical for kids, or guests who've earned their keep by helping split firewood.
The outbuilding, around 9 square meters, keeps the practical stuff organized: a season's worth of firewood, fishing rods, hiking boots, the kayak paddle. It's the kind of secondary structure that earns its existence.
Outdoors is where this property really lives. The lake is steps away — literally. Morning swims before anyone else is awake, evening paddles when the light turns gold, weekend afternoons with a rod out and nowhere to be. The forest begins right where the garden ends, and the trails through it don't show up on any app. You learn them by walking them, season by season. Late summer means blueberries and chanterelles if you know where to look. Autumn brings the kind of colour that city people drive three hours to photograph. Winter, with the lake frozen and the trees heavy with snow, turns the whole property into something almost monastic.
The surrounding Simrishamn region in southern Sweden — Skåne county — carries a different character than the far north. The light here is softer, the winters milder. You're within reach of the Österlen coast, one of Sweden's most sought-after rural landscapes, where rolling fields of rapeseed give way to medieval round churches and small fishing harbours. Kivik, about 30 kilometres from the broader area, hosts its famous apple market every autumn — a serious local event, not a tourist trap — and the orchards along Österlen's back roads are worth cycling through in bloom. Ystad, the town made famous internationally by the Wallander crime series, is close enough for a half-day trip: good food, a functioning harbour, a well-preserved medieval centre.
For outdoor people, the hiking along Skåneleden — one of Sweden's longest marked trail networks — passes through varied terrain, from coastal cliffs to inland forest much like what surrounds this cottage. Fishing in the surrounding lakes and streams is productive; pike and perch are the main quarry, and the season runs long. Sea kayaking along the coast is another option that locals treat as casually as an evening walk.
Practically speaking, Malmö-Sturup Airport (MMX) is the closest major gateway, serving routes from across Europe. Stockholm's Arlanda is also reachable by train, and the Swedish rail network is reliable enough that car-free access is genuinely possible for much of the year.
A few things international buyers should understand clearly before falling too far in love. The buildings sit on leased land, administered by the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency (Naturvårdsverket), with an annual ground rent of 7,700 SEK — modest by any measure. Transfer of the lease requires written approval from the landowner, which is standard for this type of arrangement in Sweden. Importantly, the seller notes there may be an opportunity to apply to purchase the land outright from Naturvårdsverket for 220,000 SEK, though no decision has been confirmed. Prospective buyers should contact the agency directly to explore this possibility. A Swedish-speaking solicitor or buyer's agent is strongly recommended for international purchasers navigating leasehold structures — the process is straightforward but does require local knowledge.
At 39,350 SEK asking price, this is one of the most accessible entry points into Swedish property ownership available anywhere. The low overhead — minimal maintenance, no utility bills to speak of, a ground rent that costs less per year than a weekend in a Stockholm hotel — makes it viable as a genuine second home without the financial pressure that usually comes with property ownership abroad. There's no rental income story here; this isn't that kind of property. But as a personal retreat, bought and used by people who actually want to come back to it year after year, it makes complete sense.
Key features at a glance:
- 33 sqm single-storey holiday cottage with outbuilding (~9 sqm)
- Direct lake access — swimming, fishing, kayaking from the property
- Wood-burning stove and open fireplace for off-season use
- Wood-paneled interiors with lake-facing windows
- Gas stove kitchen with traditional, functional layout
- Separate bunk bedroom plus living room sleeping space
- Off-grid: no electricity, water, or sewage (intentional simplicity)
- Outbuilding for firewood, tools, and recreational equipment storage
- Leasehold land via Naturvårdsverket, annual fee 7,700 SEK
- Potential land purchase opportunity at 220,000 SEK (subject to agency approval)
- Surrounded by managed forest with direct trail access
- Located in Skåne county near Österlen coast and Kivik
- Accessible via Malmö-Sturup Airport
- Entry-level second home price point in Sweden
- Move-in ready condition, suitable for immediate seasonal use
This cottage won't be for everyone. The people it is for — they'll know immediately. If you've been telling yourself for years that you want somewhere in Scandinavia to disconnect, to fish, to read actual books, to let your kids run into the forest unsupervised for the first time in their lives — this is worth a serious look.
Get in touch through Homestra today to arrange a viewing or request the full lease documentation. Properties at this price, in this setting, don't sit around.
Details
- Amount of bedrooms
- 1
- Size
- 33m²
- Price per m²
- €1,192
- Garden size
- 0m²
- Has Garden
- Yes
- Has Parking
- No
- Has Basement
- No
- Condition
- good
- Amount of Bathrooms
- 0
- Has swimming pool
- No
- Property type
- Country home
- Energy label
Unknown
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